Pipe forming machine



Sept. 1l, 1934. E J DREIS 1,973,164

PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Sept.' 11, 1934. E. J, DRL-:ls

PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed June 23. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.bw/seo d. DRE/S.

E,"BY n/ A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 1l, 1934. E. J. DREls PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed June 23. 1951 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. fp ve/AQ@ DRE/s,

Filed June 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. [ou/ARD d. Def/s.

fmwdlid m A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 1,1,

srAras Claims.

This invention relates to sheet metal working machines and particularlypertains to a machine for forming sheet metal tubing.

It is the principal object of the present inven- -I- tion to generallyimprove the construction and operation of pipe forming machines of thecharacter referred to by providing a machine wherein the formingrolls-may be, through the medium of a single operation, disposed in aposition enabling removal of the formed tube therefrom. This obviouslyincreases the capacity of the machine and consequently reduces the costof producing the tubing. v

In carrying the invention into practice the lll4v forming roll on whichthe tube is formed is so mounted that one end thereof may be disposed inan'unobstructed position to enable the tube to be removed therefrom. Themechanism associated with the roll mentioned is such that in a singleoperation the forming rolls are separated and the forming roll on whichthe tubing is formed is released and one end thereof disposed inraposition enabling removal of the formed tube. Likewise, but oneoperation is required to re-position the forming rolls in operativeposition for subsequent operation. l

One form which the invention may assume is exemplied in the followingdescription and illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingjdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a pipe forming machine embodying thepreferred form of my in'- vention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View thereof showing the mounting ofthe roll bearing blocks and guides.

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with rolls in released position.

Fig. 5 is a View in end elevation of the drive end of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the machine with parts in section.

Referring more particularly to the accompany- -ing drawings, I haveillustrated a metal working machine for forming tubing out of sheetmetal.

The machine here disclosed comprises a suitable frame construction 10including two end frames 11 suitably connected together by means of tierods 12 or other structural elements.

Y Carried bythe end frames 11 and extending horizontally `tl'ierebetweenare three forming rolls,

an upper forming roll 14, a lower forming roll V15 l roll `15 isrotatably mounted at its ends in bearingV blocks 17 which arereciprocably mounted in guideways 18 formed in the end frames forvertical reciprocable movement. The mounting of the bearing blocks 17 ofthe roll 15 is such that the bearing blocks may reciprocate verticallyin the guides 18 when the operator so desires so as to move the roll 15ina direction at right angles to its axis toward and yaway from theupper forming roll 14. By this means the roll 15 may be released fromengagement with a tube formed on the upper roll so that the formed tubemay be removed.

It will be noticedrthat the forming roll 16 is positioned to one side ofthe upper and lower forming rolls 14 and 15 so as to cooperate therewithin forming a pipe of a sheet of metal fed between the upper andlowerrolls about the upper vroll 14. The disposition of the rolls as shownVin the drawings is such as in common practice. It will be noticed thatthe side forming roll 16 is mounted in adjustable bearings 19 inguideways 2O on the end frames so that the forming roll 16 may beadjusted toward and` away from the upper and lower forming rolls 14 and15.

The upper forming roll 14 is rotatably mounted in one end in a hingedbearing block 21 which is pivotally mounted as at 22 so that the entireroll 14 may be swung about Ithe pivot 22 toward and away from the lowerroll 15. 'Io permit this pivotal movement of the upper roll 14, its endoppositev the pivotal bearing 21 is journalled in a bearing 23, thelower half of which is formed in the end frame 11' and the upper half ofwhich is formed in a clamp member 24. This clamp member is pivoted as at25 to the end frame 11 at a point eccentric to the axis of the upperroll 14 at one side thereof.` At the opposite side of` the axis of theupper roll 14 the clamp is pivotally connected as at 26 to a pivoted nut26a which includes a socket for the threaded reception of a latch bar27, which latch bar is adapted to be interposed between two latchinglugs 28 when the clampmember isin a position so that the bearing halfformed therein cooperates with the bearing half in the end frame torotatably support the upper roll 14. The latching bar 27 is providedwith an annular shoulder 29 which cooperates with a cam face 30 on the`underside of the latching lugs 28 to secure the clamp inposition.

Connected at one end to the clamp at a poinrI 31 which is intermediatethe pivotal point of the clamp and the axis of the upper roll` 14 is Vapitman 32. The other end of this pitman is pivotaliy connected as at 33toa crank arm 34A secured on a trip shaft 35. This shaft is mounted inbearings in the end frame as indicated.

It will be noticed, particularly from Figs. 1 and 2, that the bearingblocks 17 of the lower roll are each tted with a trip member 17a whichare also guided for vertical reciprocation in the guideways 18 so as toreciprocate in unison with the bearing blocks 17 of the lower formingroll 15. The trip members 17a are adjustably connected to the bearingblocks 17 of the lower forming roll 15 as illustrated. At their lowerends the trip members 17a are each formed with a projection 17h whichare in engagement with the periphery of the trip shaft 35. Formed inthis trip shaft in a position where they will register with theprojections 1713 of the trip member 17a are recesses 17e, one recessbeing provided for each projection 171) and which recesses are inlongitudinal alignment on the trip shaft 35. When these recesses 17oregister with the projections 17D, the projections 17h descendintothese' recesses, lowering the bearing blocks 17 and consequentlylowering the lower forming roll l5 with respect to the upper formingroll 14. While I have shown the structure described above for loweringboth ends of 'therforming roll 15,

` site the clamp member 'and which projects beyond the pivotal bearing21, the end of the upper forming roll 14 is connected with a downwardly'depending connecting rod 36. The lower end of this connecting rod 36 isconnected t'o a crank pin 37 xed to the trip shaft 35 at an W wardmovement tothe projecting end of the eccentric point relative to theaxis thereof so that when turning movement is imparted to the shaft inthe proper direction the connecting rod 36 will be moved downwardly andimpart downuppei` forming roll 14, causing the bearing 21 to pivot aboutits pivotal point 22 and upraise the opposite end of the upper formingroll 14 to per- .l mit removal.

To drive the forming rolls, I provide adrive shaft 38 mounted on whichis a pulley 39 which drives a pinion 40. This pinion is in mesh with aspur gear 41 rotatably mounted on the trip shaft 35 but relatively xedto a sprocket 42. An endless chain 43 is led around this sprocket andaround a large sprocket 44 secured on the projecting end of the upperforming roll 14, so vas to impart a drive thereto. A spur gear 45 isalso xed on the projecting end of the upper forming roll 14 and is inmesh with a spur gear 46 x'e'd on thelower forming roll 15. Therefore,when 'a drive is transmitted to the pulley 39 such drive will betransmitted through the pinion and gear 41 to the sprocket 42 and fthence through an endless chain to the sprocket 44 and the upper roll14. The drive of the upper roll will be' transmitted to the lower rollthrough the gears 'and 46, causing these rolls to revolve in oppositedirections.

' members 17a and consequently the lower roll will be in an elevatedposition and operatively related to the upper forming roll 14. A driveis then transmitted to the two rolls as previously described and asheetof metal is led therebetween.

As this material feeds between the rolls, the roll 16 cooperatestherewith to cause the pipe to be formed about the upper forming roll14.

As soon as the pipe or tube has been formed about the upper forming roll14, the latch bar 27 is disengaged from the latching lugs 28 and theclamp member is swung to a position as illustrated in Fig. 1. Theswinging movement of the clamp from the position shown in Fig. 3 to theposition shown in Fig. 1 will impart movement to the pitman 32. Themovement of this pitman will be transmitted to the trip shaft 35 causingthe recesses 17o to align with the projectons 17h of the trip members17a and as these parts register the bearing blocks 17 of the lower roll15 will descend, causing the lower roll to separate from the upper roll14 so as to release the pipe therefrom.

Simultaneously with this descending movementY oi" the lower roll 15, thecrank pin 37 will cause lowering of the. connecting rod 38 which will beimparted to the projecting end of the upper roll 14. This lowering ofthe projecting end of the upper roll 14 will cause the upper rollbearing 21 to pivot about its pivotal point 22 and upraise the oppositeend of the roll 14, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the tube or pipeformed on this upper roll may be removed therefrom. This end of theupper roll may move up- Cir wardly, of course, due to the fact that theclamp 24 has been moved to an unobstructing position as illustrated inFig. 1.

As previously stated the principal feature of the present machine is toprovide a pipe forming machine wherein the formed pipe may beexpeditiously removed from the machine. In

the present instance only one operation is required to release the pipeon the forming roll 14. This operation is the swingingof the clamp 24 tothe position shown in Fig. 1 through the mediumof the latch bar 27.

Fromrthe foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a comparativelysimple pipe forming machine which is efficient in operation and. whichmay be utilized to expeditiously form pipe or other tubing from sheetmetal.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in vits construction bythose skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the appended claims. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: 1. In a tube forming machine an upper and a lowerforming roll, meansfor simultaneously lowering the lower roll relativeto the upper roll and releasing and upraising one end of the upper rollto a position enabling a tube thereon to be removed therefrom, saidmeans including a clamp engageable with the end of the roll to bereleased, said clamp being movable to a releasing position, latch meansfor latching the clamp in clamping position and capable `of use'inmoving the same to and from releasing position, reciprocable bearingscarrying the lower roll, operating means for said bearings, and anoperative connection be-4 tween said operating means and said clamp.

2. In a tube forming machine an upper and a lower forming roll, meansfor simultaneously lowering the lower roll relative to the upper rolland releasing and upraising one end of the upper roll to a positionenabling a tube thereon to be removed therefrom, said meanslincluding aclamp engageable with the vend of the roll to be released,

said clamp being movable to a releasing position, a bearing for theopposite end of said roll pivotally mounted to enable upraising of theother roll end, bearing blocks for the lower roll, guides for guidingsaid bearings for vertical movement toward and away from the upper roll,a trip shaft, trip means connected with the bearing blocks andassociated with the trip shaft whereby operation of the trip shaft willlower or raise said bearing blocks, a connection between the trip shaftand said clamp whereby movement thereof to releasing position willoperate the trip shaft to lower said bearing blocks and movement toclamping position will raise the bearing blocks, andy an operativeconnection between the trip shaft and said upper roll whereby operationof the clamp will be accompanied by raising or lowering of the releasedend of the upper roll.

3. In a tube forming machine an upper and a lower forming roll, meansfor simultaneously lowering the lower roll relative to the upper rolland releasing and upraising one end of the upper roll to a positionenabling a tube thereon to be removed therefrom, said means including aclamp engageable with the end of the roll to be released, said clampbeing movable to a releasing position., a bearing for the opposite endof said roll pivotally mounted to enable upraising of the other rollend, bearing blocks for the lower roll, guides foi guiding said bearingsfor vertical movement toward and away from the upper roll, a trip shaft,trip means connected with the bearing blocks and associated with thetrip shaft whereby operation of the trip shaft will lower or raise saidbearing blocks, a connection between the trip shaft and said clampwhereby movement thereof to releasing position will operate the tripshaft to lower said bearing blocks and movement to clamping positionwill raise the bearing blocks, a connecting rod connected at one end tothe upper roll exteriorly of said pivoted bearing and at the other endto an eccentric point on the trip shaft whereby operation of the latterwill be accompanied by raising or lowering of the released end of theupper roll.

4. In a machine of the character described having a roller journalled ina frame, a pivoted clamp member overlying one end of the roller, apivoted nut on the free end of said clamp member, a pair of lugs on theframe, a latch bar threadedly connected to said nut and insertablebetween said lugs, and an annular shoulder on the latch bar engageablewith said lugs to hold the clamp member against the roller.v

5. In a machine of the character described having a roller journalled ina frame, a pivoted clamp member overlying one end of the roller, apivoted nut on the free end of said clamp member, a pair of lugs on theframe, a latch bar threadedly connected to said nut and insertablebetween said lugs, and an annular shoulder on the latch bar engageablewith said lugs to hold the clamp member against the roller, said latchbar serving as adjusting means for said annular shoulder by means of itsthreaded connection with the pivoted nut and also serving as a leverengaging and disengaging the shoulder and lugs.

EDWARD J. DREIS.

